Reeling mechanism



June 1-1, 1946 E. R. ZIEGLER REELING MECHANISM Filed March 14, 1945 lNwgNroR.

Patented 4*June 1 1, 1946 REELING MECHANISM Eugene R. Ziegler. Spencerport, N. Y., assignor to Ritter Company, Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware fr applicati@ March 14, 1945, serial No. 582,651

Claims.

This invention relates to reeling mechanisms and, more particularly, to mechanisms for reeling flexible iiuid conduits such, for example, as the flexible hollow conduits employed for supplying air or water to the syringes of dental equipment stands, one object of the invention being to providean improved device of the above chary acter having a more simple, practical and efiicient construction.

Another object is the provision of amore durable, uid tight and reliable joint for such a device for connecting the conduit on the rotary reel with stationary fluid supply means on the reel support. I

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the nature indicated in which the joint parts of the fluid supply means which move in frictional engagement with each other are accurately convstructed of metal so as to resist wear for an indefinite period of use, while maintaining a iluid tight joint with low resistance to rotation of the reel.

A still further object is to4 provide a reeling device having the above advantages and comprising comparatively few parts so constructed and arranged as to afford a practical mechanism capable of being economically manufactured.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig..1 is an elevation of a reeling device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same Vas viewed from the left in Fig. 1, partly in section and partly broken away.;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional elevation substantially on the line 3a-3a in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a View of parts shown in Fig. 3, detached for clearer illustration, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, sectional view substantially on the line 5a-5a in Fig. 2.

The invention is embodied in the present initance, by way of illustration, in a reeling mechmism for a flexible conduit for connecting a syringe of a dental equipment stand with a source if fluid under pressure located in the stand. Such a stand commonly comprises a hot air iyringe, a hot water syringe and various other hand instruments supplied with operating me'dia through ,extensible conducting conduitsl which carry electric conductors as well as uids and which are retracted and rewound, when not in use, by reeling .devices located in the stand. A plurality of such devices are shown in Fig. 1, comprising a reel I0 for the conduit of a hot air syringe and a reel II for the conduit of a hot water syringe, as well as reels, I2 and I3, for the conduits of other instruments which latter, howeve form no part of the present invention, being described andclaimed in the copending application of Edwin J. Wester and Eugene R. Ziegler, Serial No. 582,620, filed March 14, 1945.

The reels I0 and Il are ofthe same construction -but opposite hand, so that a description of reel I0 will su'ice for both. Reel I0 is mounted on a bracket arm Il (Figs,'1 and 2), which is suitably mounted in turn within the casing of an equipment stand. Arm I4 has fixed on its upper end a support I5, of generally cylindrical shape formed with a passageway I6, the outer endvof which contains a threaded nipple I1 to which is connected a pipe I8 forming part of a source of air under pressure for operating the syringe. Threaded and fixed in the opposite end of passageway I6 is a hollow, pipe-like journal I9 on which the reeling device is mounted and by means of which it is supplied with air under pressure.

Journal I9 is provided,v adjacent its other or outer end, with an external annular shoulder 20 (Figs. 3 and 4), preferably in the form of an integral flange, and the outer end of the journal beyond the shoulder is open to discharge the fluid transmitted through it from the supply pipe I8. The hub 2I of the reeling device is preferably made of metal and comprises a portion 22 mounted for rotation on the journal, as shown, and an outer chambered portion 23, which houses the uid tight joint hereafter described. Hub 2| has an extended end portion 24, for connection with spring means for turning the reel to wind up the conduit, as hereafter described and has its opposite ends externally threaded, as at 25 and 26, for the reception of rings, 21 and 28, between which the reel proper is conned and clamped for rotation with the hub. The reel hub comprises also a core portion 29 preferably made of insulating fiber or plastic material and opposite disk-like side Walls, 30 and 3l, 0f the same insulating material, between which the flexible instrument conduit 32 is coiled on the core 29. The end of the conduit is inserted in a recess 33 in the core and attached to means on the reel and hub for connecting the conduit with the air supply passageways and with an electrical circuit for energizing the means for heating the air for the syringe.

The means for connecting conduit 32 with the air and electrical supply means is Ibest illustrated in Fig. 5, from which it will be seen that the conduit is tted to the end of a metal tube or nipple 34, to which is connected one end of one of the circuit wires, 35, passing through the conduit to the syringe. The opPOsite end of nipple 34 is threadcdly engaged with a metal sleeve 36 and this end of the nipple has xed therein, as by means of interposed rubber or plastic material 31, a short metal tube 38, to which is connected the other circuit Wire 39 of the conduit. The other end of sleeve 36 has fixed therein, as by means of a similar rubber or plastic composition 40, the end of a short angular length of pipe 4I having its other end xed to and communieating with the chambered portion of the reel hub 2|. It will be seen in this connection that the air supplied through the hollow journal I9 passes through the chamber 42 in the reel hub and through pipe 4I, tube 38 and nipple 34 to the instrument conduit 32. Wire 39 is electrically connected with pipe 4| and to ground through the metal hub 2I, journal I9, support I5-and bracket arm I4, which, in turn, is grounded on the frame of the machine. vWire 35 is electrically connected with sleeve 36 which has a projecting lug 43, extending through reel side wall 36 and into a press i-lt in an opening in a metal ring 44, mounted and insulated in the side wall of the reel. An insulated brush 45 contacts with .ring 44 and is connected to the other side of the source of electrical energy in the stand for supplying heating current to the syringe.

The means for supplying air under pressure from the stationary journal I9 to the rotating hub 2I of the reel comprises a joint having a simple, durable and efficient construction, best y shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This joint comprises a close fit on journal I9 and is sealed to the journal and to the journal shoulder 20 by gasket means, such as a rubber gasket 49, which may be bonded to the ring and the journal surfaces to insure a more fluid tight seal. Ring 41 preferably has a loose t on journal I9 and is sealed to shoulder 48 of the'hub by gasket means, such as a rubber gasket 5I). The gasket is recessed to receive the ring, as shown, and may be bonded thereto and to the hub shoulder to insure a suitable pressure of the rings against each other comprising, preferably, a helical compression spring 5I, bearing at one end against the shoulder 26 of the journal and at its other end against a cap 52 engaged with internal threads at the outer end of the chambered hub portion 23, with an interposed gasket 53 for sealing the joint. The bearing portion 22 of the hub has a relatively free fit on journal I9, and spring 5I is made to apply suiiicient force to move the hub longitudinally of the journal and maintain rings the system, the tighter these rings will be pressed together.

The means for rotating the reel to rewind the conduit comprises, preferably, a spiral spring 54, housed in a cylindrical casing 55 formed at one side with an opening to receive the extended end 24 of the ree1 hub. The other side of the housing 55 has a collar 56, preferably formed integral therewith, in which is a set screw 51, by means of which the housing is xed to the journal. Spring 54 has one end xed to the hub and its other end fixed to the housing 55, the parts being assembledjwith the spring under tension, so that the spring turns the reel to rewind the conduit when not in use.

It will be seen from the above construction that the conduit wound on the reel is continuously maintained in communication with the source oi.v

air under pressure as the reel is rotated to wind and unwind the conduit, through joint means of simple and practical construction, which effectively seals the joint against leakage. All contact between relatively movable joint parts is confined to the precisely finished and highly polished abutting plane surfaces of the hardened metal rings 46 and 41, which are adapted-to operate indefinitely with a minimum of wear such as tends to improve their seating contact with each other and their sealing elciency. The construction interposes a minimum of frictionalresistance to the free rotation of the reel in opposite directions. The conduit end is securely-attached to the reel core against any derangement by unwinding tension applied to the conduit. The construction thus comprisesy but few parts, vwhich are so constructed and combined as to kaord a practical' ious changes in the construction and arrangement j of the parts, as well as in the uses and adaptations of the invention, will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit .of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a reeling mechanism, a hollow journal, a reel having a hub rotatably mounted on, said journal, spaced shoulders on said hub and journal, a pair of'metal rings surrounding said journal and sealed to said shoulders, respectively, said rings having finished surfaces in engagement with each other, and spring means tending to move said hub longitudinally on said journal for-pressing said rings together in uid tight engagement with each other, said hub being formed with a passageway therethrough communicating with the end of said hollow journal and provided with means for connection with a conduit wound on said reel.

2. In a reeling mechanism, a hollow journal having a discharge opening adjacent its outer end, a reel having a hub rotatably mounted on said journal, a shoulder on said journal adjacent the outer end thereof, a shoulder on said hub spaced inwardly from said journalshoulder, a pair of metal rings surrounding said journal and sealed to said shoulders, respectively, said rings having finished surfaces in engagement with each other, and spring means engaged between said hub and journal for pressing said rings together in fluid tight engagement with each other, said hub being formed with a passageway therethrough communicating with said journal opening and prO- vided with means for connection with a conduit wound on said reel.

3. In a reeling mechanism, a hollow journal having adjacent its outer end an external annular shoulder and a discharge opening located outwardly of said shoulder, a reel having a hub formed with an inner bearing portion rotatably mounted on said journal and with an outer chambered portion, said chambered portion having an inner end forming an annular shoulder spaced from said journal shoulder and an outer end enclosing said journal end, a pair of metal rings surrounding said journal and sealed to said shoulders, respectively, said rings having finished surfaces in engagement with each other, and spring means tending to move said hub outwardly on said journal to press said rings together in uid tight engagement with each other, said hub being formed with a passageway therethrough communicating with said journal opening and provided with means for connection to a conduit wound on said reel.

4. In a reeling mechanism, a hub journal having adjacent its outer end an external annular shoulder and a discharge opening located outwardly of said shoulder, a reel having a hub formed with an inner bearing portion rotatably mounted on said journal and with an outer chambered portion, said chambered portion having an inner end forming an annular shoulder spaced from said journal shoulder and an outer end enclosing said journal, a. pair of metal-rings surrounding said journal, gasket means sealing said rings to said shoulders, respectively, said rings having finished surfaces in engagement with each other, and a compression spring bearing against said journal shoulder and the outer end of said chambered portion for moving said hub outwardly on said journal to press said rings together in fluid tight engagement with each other, said hub being formed with a passageway therethrough communicating with said journal opening and provided with means for connection with a conduit wound on said reel.

5. In a reeling mechanism, a support having a passageway therethrough provided wtih means for connection with a source of uid, a hollow journal fixed in said support and communicating with said passageway, said journal having adjacent its outer end an external annular shoulder and a discharge opening located outwardly of said shoulder, a reel having a hub formed with an inner portion rotatably mounted on said journal and with an outer chambered portion, said chambered portion having an inner end forming an annular shoulder and an outer end enclosing said journal end, a pair of metal rings surrounding said journal, gasket means sealing said rings to said shoulders, respectively, said rings having nished surfaces in engagement with each other, and a spring bearing against said journal and the outer end of said chambered portion for moving said hub outwardly to press said rings into fiuid tight engagement with each other, said chambered portion forming a passageway in said hub which communicates with said journal discharge opening and is provided with means for connection with a conduit wound on said reel.

EUGENE R. ZIEGLER. 

